1 W hile Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, many people pushed to get near Him. They wanted to hear the Word of God.

And it came to pass, in the multitude pressing on him to hear the word of God, that he was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret,

2 J esus saw two boats on the shore. The fishermen were not there because they were washing their nets.

and he saw two boats standing beside the lake, and the fishers, having gone away from them, were washing the nets,

3 J esus got into a boat which belonged to Simon. Jesus asked him to push it out a little way from land. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.

and having entered into one of the boats, that was Simon's, he asked him to put back a little from the land, and having sat down, was teaching the multitudes out of the boat.

4 W hen He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Push out into the deep water. Let down your nets for some fish.”

And when he left off speaking, he said unto Simon, `Put back to the deep, and let down your nets for a draught;'

5 S imon said to Him, “Teacher, we have worked all night and we have caught nothing. But because You told me to, I will let the net down.”

and Simon answering said to him, `Master, through the whole night, having laboured, we have taken nothing, but at thy saying I will let down the net.'

6 W hen they had done this, they caught so many fish, their net started to break.

And having done this, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net was breaking,

7 T hey called to their friends working in the other boat to come and help them. They came and both boats were so full of fish they began to sink.

and they beckoned to the partners, who in the other boat, having come, to help them; and they came, and filled both the boats, so that they were sinking.

8 W hen Simon Peter saw it, he got down at the feet of Jesus. He said, “Go away from me, Lord, because I am a sinful man.”

And Simon Peter having seen, fell down at the knees of Jesus, saying, `Depart from me, because I am a sinful man, O lord;'

9 H e and all those with him were surprised and wondered about the many fish.

for astonishment seized him, and all those with him, at the draught of the fishes that they took,

10 J ames and John, the sons of Zebedee, were surprised also. They were working together with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will fish for men.”

and in like manner also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon; and Jesus said unto Simon, `Fear not, henceforth thou shalt be catching men;'

11 W hen they came to land with their boats, they left everything and followed Jesus. Jesus Heals a Man with a Bad Skin Disease

and they, having brought the boats upon the land, having left all, did follow him.

12 W hile Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came to Him with a bad skin disease over all his body. When he saw Jesus, he got down on his face before Him. He begged Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can heal me.”

And it came to pass, in his being in one of the cities, that lo, a man full of leprosy, and having seen Jesus, having fallen on face, he besought him, saying, `Sir, if thou mayest will, thou art able to cleanse me;'

13 J esus put His hand on him and said, “I will, be healed.” At once the disease went away from him.

and having stretched forth hand, he touched him, having said, `I will; be thou cleansed;' and immediately the leprosy went away from him.

14 T hen Jesus told him to tell no one. He said, “Go and let the religious leader of the Jews see you. Give the gift on the altar in worship that Moses told you to give when a man is healed of a disease. This will show the leaders you have been healed.”

And he charged him to tell no one, `But, having gone away, shew thyself to the priest, and bring near for thy cleansing according as Moses directed, for a testimony to them;'

15 T he news about Jesus went out all the more. Many people came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases.

but the more was the report going abroad concerning him, and great multitudes were coming together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities,

16 T hen He went away by Himself to pray in a desert. Jesus Heals a Man Let Down through the Roof of a House

and he was withdrawing himself in the desert places and was praying.

17 O n one of the days while Jesus was teaching, some proud religious law-keepers and teachers of the Law were sitting by Him. They had come from every town in the countries of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was there to heal them.

And it came to pass, on one of the days, that he was teaching, and there were sitting by Pharisees and teachers of the Law, who were come out of every village of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was -- to heal them.

18 S ome men took a man who was not able to move his body to Jesus. He was carried on a bed. They looked for a way to take the man into the house where Jesus was.

And lo, men bearing upon a couch a man, who hath been struck with palsy, and they were seeking to bring him in, and to place before him,

19 B ut they could not find a way to take him in because of so many people. They made a hole in the roof over where Jesus stood. Then they let the bed with the sick man on it down before Jesus.

and not having found by what way they may bring him in because of the multitude, having gone up on the house-top, through the tiles they let him down, with the little couch, into the midst before Jesus,

20 W hen Jesus saw their faith, He said to the man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

and he having seen their faith, said to him, `Man, thy sins have been forgiven thee.'

21 T he teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers thought to themselves, “Who is this Man Who speaks as if He is God? Who can forgive sins but God only?”

And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, `Who is this that doth speak evil words? who is able to forgive sins, except God only?'

22 J esus knew what they were thinking. He said to them, “Why do you think this way in your hearts?

And Jesus having known their reasonings, answering, said unto them, `What reason ye in your hearts?

23 W hich is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or, ‘Get up and walk’?

which is easier -- to say, Thy sins have been forgiven thee? or to say, Arise, and walk?

24 “ So that you may know the Son of Man has the right and the power on earth to forgive sins,” He said to the man who could not move his body, “I say to you, get up. Take your bed and go to your home.”

`And that ye may know that the Son of Man hath authority upon the earth to forgive sins -- (he said to the one struck with palsy) -- I say to thee, Arise, and having taken up thy little couch, be going on to thy house.'

25 A t once the sick man got up in front of them. He took his bed and went to his home thanking God.

And presently having risen before them, having taken up on which he was lying, he went away to his house, glorifying God,

26 A ll those who were there were surprised and gave thanks to God, saying, “We have seen very special things today.” Jesus Calls Matthew

and astonishment took all, and they were glorifying God, and were filled with fear, saying -- `We saw strange things to-day.'

27 A fter this Jesus went out and saw a man who gathered taxes. His name was Levi (Matthew). Levi was sitting at his work. Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.”

And after these things he went forth, and beheld a tax-gatherer, by name Levi, sitting at the tax-office, and said to him, `Be following me;'

28 L evi got up, left everything and followed Jesus.

and he, having left all, having arisen, did follow him.

29 L evi made a big supper for Jesus in his house. Many men who gathered taxes and other people sat down with them.

And Levi made a great entertainment to him in his house, and there was a great multitude of tax-gatherers and others who were with them reclining (at meat),

30 T he teachers of the Law and the proud religious law-keepers talked against the followers of Jesus. They said, “Why do You eat and drink with men who gather taxes and with sinners?”

and the scribes and the Pharisees among them were murmuring at his disciples, saying, `Wherefore with tax-gatherers and sinners do ye eat and drink?'

31 J esus said to them, “People who are well do not need a doctor. Only those who are sick need a doctor.

And Jesus answering said unto them, `They who are well have no need of a physician, but they that are ill:

32 I have not come to call good people. I have come to call sinners to be sorry for their sins and to turn from them.” Jesus Teaches about Going without Food So You Can Pray Better

I came not to call righteous men, but sinners, to reformation.'

33 T hey asked Jesus, “Why do the followers of John and of the proud religious law-keepers go without food so they can pray better, but Your followers keep on eating and drinking?”

And they said unto him, `Wherefore do the disciples of John fast often, and make supplications -- in like manner also those of the Pharisees -- but thine do eat and drink?'

34 J esus answered them, “Can the friends at a wedding be sorry when the man just married is with them?

And he said unto them, `Are ye able to make the sons of the bride-chamber -- in the bridegroom being with them -- to fast?

35 T he days will come when the man just married will be taken from them. Then they will not eat food so they can pray better in those days.” The Picture-Story of the Cloth and the Bags

but days will come, and, when the bridegroom may be taken away from them, then they shall fast in those days.'

36 T hen Jesus told them a picture-story. He said, “No one sews a piece of cloth from a new coat on an old coat. If he does, the new coat will have a hole. The new piece and the old coat will not be the same.

And he spake also a simile unto them -- `No one a patch of new clothing doth put on old clothing, and if otherwise, the new also doth make a rent, and with the old the patch doth not agree, that from the new.

37 N o man puts new wine into old skin bags. If they did, the skins would break and the wine would run out. The bags would be no good.

`And no one doth put new wine into old skins, and if otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be poured out, and the skins will be destroyed;

38 N ew wine must be put into new bags and both are kept safe.

but new wine into new skins is to be put, and both are preserved together;

39 N o one wants new wine after drinking old wine. He says, ‘The old wine is better.’”

and no one having drunk old, doth immediately wish new, for he saith, The old is better.'